Rubber heel



Aug. 25, 1931. v c. F. BENZ ,0

' RUBBER HEEL Filed July 18, 1930 INVENTOR' Patented Aug. 25, 1931 CHARLES F. BENZ, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND RUBBER Application filed July 18,

This invention relates to an improved construction of rubber heel; and has for its object to provide a rubber heel with one or more pockets in its wearing face so formed and arranged that they will collect drops of moisture and effectively prevent the same from working back over the shoe andbeing thrown up onto and soiling the hose of the wearer while walking on wet surfaces.

A further object is to set the walls of the pocket on an incline from the plane of the bottom of the heel so that the rearwardlytraveling drops of moisture across the face of the rubber heel, due to the forward swinging of the foot, will be caught by the inclined pocket wall and be conducted up into the moisture-receiving pocket and so be prevented from following across the face of the heel, around the back thereof, and up onto the hose of the wearer.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to so arrange the inclined walls of the pocket or pockets that the moisture collected in the pocket will be readily thrown therefrom by the natural foot action due to the comparatively quick stop of the foot combined with the hammer effect of the heel at the end of each forward step.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing the moisture receiving pockets in the rubber heel.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the heel.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

It has been found in the use of rubber heels, that while walking on Wet pavements, water due to the natural action of the foot, will work back across the bottom surface of the heel and up the back portion of the shoe and soil the hose to the great annoyance of the wearer. To obviate this difliculty, I have formed one or more moisture-receiving pockets in the bottom surface of the heel and have disposed the rear walls of the pockets on an angle inclined rearwardly from the plane of the bottom surface of the heel so 1930. Serial No. 468,769.

thatas the water works back along the surface of the heel, it will be engaged by this inclined wall and conducted up into the moisture-receiving pocket, and when sufficient moisture has collected there, it will then, i

owing tothe' forward inclination of the walls, be thrown out by the natural action of the foot, due to the comparatively quick stop at the 'end ofeach forward step; and the folture-receiving pockets 12, the number herein shown being three, but any desired number of these pockets may be employed.

The pockets herein shown are rectangular in shape, arranged to extend transversely across the heel, a portion of the width thereof and the number of pockets shown being three equally spaced from each other.

One of the essential features of the invention is the forming of the rear edge Wall 18 of the pockets as being rearwardly inclined relative to the plane of the bottom surface of the heel so that as the moisture works rearwardly across this surface it naturally is engaged by the inclined edge of this rear wall and conducted up into the moisture-receiving pocket, where it is retained until sufficient moisture has collected when it is discharged from the pocket by the action of the foot while walking.

To assist this discharging action, I have also similarly inclined the forward wall 14 of the pockets, which tends to readily release the accumulated moisture to empty the pocket.

By the use of my improved moisture-receiving pocket in the bottom of a rubber heel, water is effectively prevented from running back across the face of the rubber heel and up the back of the shoe onto the hose of the user.

The foregoing description is directed solely fat towards the construction illustrated, but Idesire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe heel of rubber having a plurality of spaced parallel transversel positioned pockets of substantial depth or collecting and retaining moisture, the front and rear Walls of said pockets being parallel and inclined rearWardly from the plane of the bottom of the heel.

2. A shoe heel of rubber having a plurality of spaced parallel transversely positioned pockets of substantial depth for 001- lecting and retaining moisture, front and rear walls of said pockets being parallel and inclined rearWardly from the planeof the bottom of the heel, and the end Walls of said pockets being positioned inwardly from the edges of the heel.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES F. BENZ. 

